The Swan and the Raven
by Reversed soul
Summary: When the Swan was buried by the bright star, the raven was finally freed. Oneshot set just before the Schwann battle. Slightly angsty. Minor spoilors.


**AN: I do not own Tales of Vesperia, Bandai Namco does.**

**Okay, just a quick oneshot on what I thought Schwann might have been thinking just before his boss battle. hope you enjoy.**

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The Swan and the Raven

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Schwann stood just outside the room that Yuri and the others went into, wreathed in the shadows as his thoughts turned towards how he is about to betray people he, despite trying, became his friends. Upon hearing Estelle's screams of agony, Schwann's blastia heart wrenched painfully, as if her own torment was his own.

"Damn you Alexei, Damn you" he whispered as his Brigade, one of the most famous of all, despite the actions of a few rather poor knights, began to gather together. They were ready to intercept his former friends when they would undoubtedly, try to chase after Alexei, who would, of course, pit Schwann himself against them, just for his own twisted amusement.

'And what can I do? Nothing, except hope that the kids are good enough to beat me'

Schwann had of course contemplated rebelling early on, but Alexei stopped that train of thought by causing his heart to act up. Alexei held Schwann firmly in his grasp. Though of course, a little 'lost intelligence' from the knights being found by Altosk's Raven every now and then was his own form of quiet rebellion.

Schwann's thoughts turned to his other persona, which wasn't far from how he used to be prior to becoming 1st captain of the knights. Oh sure, the accent wasn't Raven's, but the joviality, friendly demeanour, and frequent flirting sure were. After his promotion to 1st captain, a rank previously belonging to his lost love Casey, he became cold and detached, hating Schwann a little more every day, and looking forward to being Raven more and more.

Schwann was jolted out of his thoughts when his brigade began to move into the Entelexia's room, their silver armour clanking in perfect rythm. Alexei walked by him Apatheia in hand and the spell orb holding Estelle trailing behind. Schwann glanced at the poor girl inside the sphere, a girl who just wanted to see the world, then got into this mess by his own hands.

"Sir?" Schwann asked quietly, giving a crisp salute to his commanding officer

"I'm sure your friends would like to see you again, Schwann, go give them a visit", the Commandant sneered, taking pleasure at the tiny signs of anger Schwann made. His left hand clenching hard on his dagger, his jaw gritting itself to deny it the ability to show his real feelings.

"Yes sir" the captain replied in a clearly forced tone. Walking towards his next betrayal.

Feeling something warm running down his cheek, he knew it was a tear, thankfully, only a single one.

'Damnit I should be fighting Alexei not fighting for him'.

Giving a nod to his Brigadesmen, they quickly departed the chamber, he didn't want them to get killed here, they were all young. He heard Yuri confirm his identity as Schwann. But then Repede, that incredible hound, knew instantly who he really was.

Amused despite it all, he replied to his barking.

"I suppose there's no fooling the nose of a dog" he said, without the usual slang his former companions would normally hear.

Judith was struck speechless, Karol was astonished, Rita was baffled at her discovery, and Yuri had a look of betrayal and anger slowly forming on his face.

"That voice...wait...Raven?" Karol asked, a slight twinge of hope in his voice.

Judith's response was a little more on guard.

"This doesn't look like a joke" she said, her voice having a bit of an edge to it.

"One of the Unions most important members is a Captain in the knights.

"Heh, so thats what was going on" Yuri said, comprehension dawning on him.

"Wait! But what about the Don, Raven..." Karol desperatly pleaded.

A hidden trace of sorrow could be heard in his voice, but his former friends were too angry or hurt to hear it.

"Conversing with you is not one of my duties"

Karol continued to plead, but Yuri threatened and demanded him to let them pass.

"we're in a bit of a hurry, so let us through", Dein Nomos drawn and held low to emphasise his point. But it didn't take long for the gravity of Schwann's statement to hit home.

"Wait, you're not thinking of trying to stop us are you?" anger, shock and betrayal clear in his rising voice.

'I'm so sorry, I know you'll never forgive me for this' Schwann thought as he drew his sword, ignoring the exclamations the others made, he gave his name, hoping it would tell them he was not Raven, and steel their hearts.

"Schwann Oltorain, 1st captain of the Imperial Knights, ready to do battle" he calmly said, before charging in to battle.

That day, even though he didn't know it, while a dead Swan was finally buried that day, it unintentionly let a Raven be finally free.

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**The End**

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**If it's good or bad, R&R**


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